Update

Do you remember the document I mentioned in my last post, the one that in order to get I had to convince a county official that this is, in fact, true and accurate information, and that a judge in Russia really is requesting it? Well, I was able to get it, or rather, I will be able to get it....on May 15th.

Let me back up a little bit and explain....

There are two different pieces of information included in this document. One is the total assessed value of our home and the other is a summary of our warranty deed. While this makes sense to the judges in Russia to have these two documents combined, it has proven to be difficult to get here in the United States. The reason is because these documents are generated from two different government agencies. In our case it is the Ada County Recorder's Office and the Ada County Assessor's Office.

Thankfully, we were given a template from a document, including all of the proper language, that we know the judges have been accepting. By using the information on our warranty deed, I filled out the portions that were provided, but I still needed to call the assessors office and convince them to sign this document.

So I was on the phone on Thursday morning, talking to a really nice man (and believe me, he was very friendly) about this crazy document that needs to be signed by someone in the county assessor's office. At the same time, this man was equally sure that I should be talking with someone from the recorders office instead. That's when I realized that this was really stressing me out, because I felt a lump in my throat and hot tears start to roll down my cheeks. Sensing the change in my voice, he decided to connect me to someone in the assessor's office, though I am not sure if it was because he felt sorry for me or if he was just saving himself from this crazy woman on the other end of the line.

As silly as I unintentionally made myself look, it worked. As I sat there wiping my tears with my sleeve, listening to the phone ring as I waited to be connected to the assessor's office, the Lord said to me, "I know it's hard."

Wow, thank you Lord for acknowledging that what seems like a simple phone call is very hard for me.

I can't explain what His words did for me, aside from make me cry even more. I have been trying so hard to be obedient to Him, and in some ways I thought that God would honor my obedience by making this whole adoption process go smoothly. But that hasn't been the case. This adoption has cost us in every aspect of our lives, in the way of finances, emotions, relationships and time. We have made ourselves vulnerable in ways I never though possible, but God has revealed Himself in ways we never would have seen otherwise. And do you know what? I would do it again if He asked because it has been worth it.

Sorry for the abrupt change here, but I am going to get back to m story.....

I didn't quite have the chance to gather myself before I had to explain my situation to another person, but I held it together a little better. After exchanging a few phone calls, I found out that the new assessments will be completed on May 15 and that we can have our document signed (warranty deed information and all) on that same day.

I can't explain to you how good it feels to have that weight lifted on my shoulders. It's great and that is all I can say!

Isaiah 61:1-3
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me...He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted...to give them beauty for ashes....that He might be glorified."